'India is an incredibly important partner to the United States in the region and globally'

Amid the India-US military exercises in the Western Indian Ocean Region, America has emphasised that India is an "incredibly important" partner to the US in the region and globally. It has also underlined that Washington is working with the country on wide-ranging issues like economic, strategic and security.

"India is an incredibly important partner to the United States in the region and globally," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at her daily news conference on Friday. "We work with India on a range of issues, as you well know-economic, strategic, security."

"The United States certainly took a range of steps, as India was at the early stages of dealing with a rise in the pandemic, to help provide a range of assistance, and we will continue to do that moving forward," Psaki said in response to a question.


These remarks were made amid the Indian Navy and the Air Force launching a two-day passage exercise on Wednesday with US Navy Carrier Strike Group (CSG) Ronald Reagan during its transit through the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Navy's INS Kochi and Teg, along with P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft and MiG 29K fighters, are participating in the exercise. For the exercise, the Indian Air Force assets include Jaguar and Su-30 MKI fighters, Phalcon and Netra early warning aircraft and IL-78 air-to-air refueller aircraft, an Indian Air Force statement said.

The US contingent comprises Nimitz class aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Halsey and Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Shiloh. It has deployed F-18 fighters and E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft in the exercise.